Abstract:
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint U.S.-Japan satellite mission to monitor tropical and subtropical precipitation and to estimate its associated latent heating. TRMM was successfully launched on November 27, at 4:27 PM (EST) from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

The data are stored in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF), which includes both core and product specific metadata. The file size is about 5 MB.

Important Changes: After the initial Version 7 processing, it was discovered that AMSU data were neglected in the first retrospective processing of both the Version 7 TMPA (3B42/43) and TMPA-RT (3B40/41/42RT) data series, which created an important shortcoming in the inventory of microwave precipitation estimates used during 2000-2010. In addition, a coding error in the TMPA-RT replaced the occasional missings in product 3B42RT with zeros. Accordingly, both product series were retrospectively processed again. The main impact in both series was to improve the fine-scale patterns of precipitation during 2000-2010 (and for 3B4xRT into late 2012). Averages over progressively larger time/space scales should be progressively less affected. [This is the reason the lack of AMSU went undiscovered; the merger system copes very reasonably with missing data.] Nonetheless, users are urged to switch to the newest Version 7 data sets. The newest runs may be identified by the file names: V.7 3B42/43 suffix of "7A.HDF" for January 2000 - September 2010; V.7 3B4xRT suffix of "7R2.bin" for 1 March 2000 - 6 November 2012. It continues to be the case that the Version 7 3B42/43 is some 4% higher than the calibrating data set (2B31) over oceans, which is still under study. However, the initial conclusion is that it results from the sampling mismatch between the (very sparse) TCI and the (much denser) microwave constellation. At the large scales this offset seems to be nearly a proportional constant.

TMPA Restarted with October 2014: On October 07, 2014, routine production ended for the TRMM PR precipitation estimates. Since PR is no longer available, the TMI/PR combined instrument (TCI) estimates are also no longer available. As products 3B42/3B43 use the TCI estimates as the satellite calibrator, September 2014 is the last month these products were produced in this way. In an effort to continue 3B42/3B43 available and usable, the real time TMPA (TMPA-RT) climatological calibrations/adjustments have been adapted for use in the 3B42/3B43. October 2014 is the first month of the climatologically calibrated/adjusted 3B42/3B43. Users should note there will be a discontinuity in the record as a result. Each individual user must determine the most appropriate use of the climatologically calibrated/adjusted 3B42/3B43 products.

The two-month latency for 3B42/3B43 remains the same with this new calibration. The delayed release for October 2014 reflects both development work and a problem with the input IR data. The previously released "provisional" data set is now considered obsolete and should not be used (although in many areas it is identical to this official release). As well, a (different) problem with the input IR for November 2014 is not yet resolved, so that data set is still in provisional status. We expect to have updated November 2014 IR data in the very near future, and thereafter run on the usual schedule.

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Description:
The GES-DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Interface (Giovanni) is a web-based tool that allows users to analyze gridded data interactively online without having to download any data.

Description:
Gauge relative weighting. The GrADS Data Server (GDS, formerly known as GrADS-DODS Server) is another form of OPeNDAP that provides subsetting and some analysis services across the internet.

Description:
This interface is designed for quick analyses of the TRMM Level-3 monthly rainfall product, 3B43. Users can plot area averages (area plot) and time series (time plot) for selected areas and time periods.

Quality
Satellite/gauge relative error estimates are provided for each 0.25 x 0.25 degree box. The estimates are derived in two steps: (1) the error estimates of each input data are computed separately, mostly reflecting the sampling-induced uncertainty of each field and (2) a linear combination of these field errors is computed, in which each field error estimate is weighted by the inverse of its ... error-variance. There are currently no known deficiencies in the 3B43 algorithm. The quality of the 3B43 product is highly sensitive to the quality of the input data: TRMM adjusted merged-IR (product 3B42) and the monthly gridded precipitation gauge analysis (courtesy of the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre). If the quality of the input data is less than anticipated, then the quality of 3B43 will also be less.